Hydatina, again

February 15, 2000
From: Peter Wirtz

Dear Bill,

I am currently reviewing the (German translations of the) book by G. Gabbi "Shells- Guide to the Jewels of the Sea" (1999). It contains two
puzzling statements about Hydatina.
1) It claims that H. physis can swim, because it has a very light shell. ???
2) It claims that the species Hydatina hydatis has a foot "transformed into a swimming organ" and that it leads an entirely pelagic life.??

I do not know the latter species. Its foot does not look much different from that of H. physis, which appears to me much too bulky a creature to swim.
Any comments ?

Cheers,

Peter.

peter.wirtz@clix.pt

Wirtz, P., 2000 (Feb 15) Hydatina, again. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1905

Dear Peter,
Your quotations remind me of those medieval bestiarys where weird animals were described and even weirder tales told about them.

I certainly know of no record of any species of Hydatina swimming. The H. hydatis she mentions is probably the European Haminoea hydatis, but I am sure it does not swim either.

The most likely candidate would be the aplysiid Akera bullata Muller, 1776. which has a Haminoea-like shell and is a well-known, if clumsy swimmer.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Feb 15). Comment on Hydatina, again by Peter Wirtz. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1905

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